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March 31, 1964 D. CAPLAN ADJUSTABLE BOOSTER CHAIR Filed Dec. 19, 1962 United States Patent Ofitice 3,127,217 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 3,127,217 I ADJUSTABLE BOOSTER CHAIR David Caplan, 37 Banbury Road, Rockville Centre, N.Y. Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,831 4 Claims. (Cl. 297232) This invention relates generally to articles of furniture, and is especially concerned with a seating device in the nature of a childrens booster chair.

As is well known, there is -a substantial period of child development between the use of a high chair and the time when a child may sit in a regular chair at a comfortable height for dining. To accommodate children in this period there have been proposed numerous seating devices,

including attachments to regular chairs and separate chairs for this particular purpose. However, these priorart devices have not been entirely satisfactory for many reasons, including high cost, relative complexity of construction, lack of adjustability, and others.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a childrens booster chair which overcomes the above-mentioned difiiculties, is extremely simple in construction and operation, entirely reliable and durable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a childrens booster chair having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph which is quickly and easily adjustable to any selected height for accommodating children of various sizes, and which effectively locks itself at the selected position of adjustment.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing a childrens booster chair of the present invention in operative association with a conventional chair, the latter being shown in phantom, and a position of vertical adjustment of the booster chair also being shown in phantom.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assemblage of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the assemblage of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the adjustment locking action.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a slightly modified embodiment of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to FIGURE 4 showing a slight modification thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1-3, a conventional chair is there generally designated 10 and includes a plurality of legs 11 adapted to rest on the floor 12. Disposed generally horizontally and secured to the upper ends of legs 11 is a seat 13. Upstanding from the rear region of seat 13 is a chair back 14. As is conventional, the chair back 14 may have its lower region spaced above the chair seat 13 to provide therebetween a forwardly and rearwardly through opening 15-. Of course, any conventional chair may be employed in place of the chair 10, or other suitable elevated support may also be employed.

The booster chair of the instant invention is generally designated 20. The booster chair includes a base 21, which may assume the form of a generally fiat, substantially rectangular board or plate adapted to rest horizontally on the seat 13. -In use, the base 21 rests upon the seat 13 with the forward region 22 of the base extending forward beyond the front edge of the chair seat. The forward base region 22 is provided at a pair of laterally spaced locations with open-ended tubular sleeves 23, each secured in upstanding relation on the upper side of the base by va flange 24 .md fasteners 25 extending through the flange into the base. This is best seen in FIGURE 4. In alignment with each upstanding sleeve 23, the base 21 is formed with a hole 26, so that each aligned sleeve and hole combine to define a generally vertical, open-ended through opening or receiver, for a purpose appearing presently.

A pair of laterally spaced, generally vertical standards or uprights 33 extend slidably through respective receivers 23, 26. The uprights may be of tubular or rod stock, or other suitable construction and fit in the respective receivers 23, 2 6 so as to slide vertically therein and to bind upon the application of moment or non-axial force to the standards. Thus, as seen in FIGURE 4, the application of a moment or bending force to the standard 30 to bend the latter toward its dot-and-dash-outline position causes biting action by the receivers 23, 26, say at the arrow 31 to positively grip and retain the standard in position within the receiver.

The lower end of each standard 30 may be provided with an enlarged head or stop 32, say in the form of a plug, as shown in FIGURE 4. The enlargement or stop 32 is engageable with the underside of base 21, or the lower end of receiver 23, 26, to limit upward movement of the respective standard 30 and retain the latter in its receiver.

From the upper end of each standard 30 there may extend rearwardly an armrest 33, which may in practice be an integral extension of the respective standard. Further, a terminal extension 34 may depend from the rear end of each armrest 33.

Extending latermly between the standards 30 is a seat 35. The seat 35 is disposed generally horizontally and may be of generally rectangular configuration, having its forward corners secured by any suitable means to respectlve standards 30, and extending rearward therefrom for seourement of its rearward corners to the lower ends of depending terminal extensions 34. A chair back 36 may be secured in generally vertical position extending laterally between the terminal extensions 34.

If desired, there may be provided a rearward extension '7 on the rearward end of base 21, say in the form of a generally U-shaped member, as shown.

It will now be appreciated that the booster chair 20 is adapted to rest with its base 21 on the seat 13, and in this position the booster chair seat 35 and back rest 36 are vertically adjustable .by sliding of the standards 30 in their receivers 23, 26, as shown in dot-anddash outline in FIGURE 1. Further, any weight, such as that of a child on the seat 35, immediately and automatically effects positive locking of the standards 30 in position within their respective receivers 23, 26, by the exertion of moment on the standards. The rearward base extension 37 insures against an active child falling rearward.

As further assurance against slippage when lifting the booster from a supporting chair '13, rubber or similar resilient washers or 0 rings 32a, as shown in FIG. 6, may be frictionally engaged on the uprights 30, above and below the receiver 23 or 23b. When it is desired to adjust the height of the booster seat 35 relative to the base 21, either or both the friction washers 32a may be moved away from their locking positions against the receivers 23 or 23b and after the adjustment is made,

the friction washers 32a may be returned to seat closely against the receivers 23.

In FIGURE is shown an alternative embodiment or slight modification, wherein the base 21a, corresponding to the base 20, is provided with a integral rearward extension 37a, which may function in the manner of rearward extension 37 to prevent backward movement of the booster chair.

Rather than an upstanding sleeve 23, as shown in FIGURE 4, there is shown in FIGURE 6 an embodiment wherein a base 21b, corresponding to the base 21 of the first-described embodiment, is formed with a pair of through holes 261) located similarly to the holes 26. However, a sleeve or bushing 23b, say of open-ended tubular formation, extends through each hold 26b and is secured therein by a flange 24b fastened to the base by fasteners 25b. In this embodiment, the sleeve 23b defines a receiver slidably receiving a generally vertical standard 30b which is adapted to bind and positively lock in position within the sleeve upon the application of moment, to the standard. Thus, the embodiment of FIGURE 6 operates in substantially the same manner as described liereinbefore in connection with FIGURE 4.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a childs booster chair which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A childrens booster chair for use on an elevated support, said chair comprising a base adapted to rest on said support having a forward portion extending forward beyond the forward edge of said support, a pair of vertically through-opening receivers on said forward base portion, a pair of standards extending slidably through said receivers clear of said support and adapted to bind in said receivers under applied moment, and a seat extending rearward from said standards and spaced over said base for supporting a child, whereby said seat is vertically adjustable upon sliding of said standards in said receivers and fixed at a selected elevation by the weight of a child on said seat exerting a moment on said standards.

2. A childrens booster chair according to claim 1, said base comprising a generally flat plate, and said receivers comprising sleeves extending through said plate.

3. A childrens booster chair for use on a supporting chair, said booster chair comprising a base adapted to rest on the seat of a supporting chair, receiver means at the forward region of said base beyond the forward edge of said supporting chair and defining a pair of laterally spaced through vertical openings, a pair of laterally spaced standards respectively extending slidably in said openings clear of the forward edge of said supporting chair and adapted to bind in said openings under moment applied to said standards, and a seat extending laterally between and rearward from said standards spaced over said base for supporting a child, whereby said seat is vertically adjustable upon sliding of said standards in said openings and fixed at a selected elevation by the weight of a child on said seat exerting moments on said standards, armrests respectively extending rearward from the upper ends of said standards, and a backrest extending laterally between and secured to the rearward regions of said armrests.

4. A childrens booster chair according to claim 3, said base comprising a generally flat plate and said receiver means comprising a pair of generally vertical open-ended sleeves extending through said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 180,134 Calder Apr. 23, 1957 236,428 Hall Jan. 11, 1881 349,129 Watson Sept. 14, 1886 2,083,716 Klar June 15, 1937 2,309,881 Wise Feb. 2, 1943 2,569,729 Nold Oct. 2, 1951 r 2,605,815 Zoranovich Aug. 5, 1952 2,692,637 Rainwater Oct. 26, 1954 2,854,063 Stallard Sept. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,876 Great Britain Nov. 2, 1933 550,752 Germany May 17, 1932 555,850 Germany July 29, 1932 598,335 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1948 771,134 France July 16, 1934 

1. A CHILDREN''S BOOSTER CHAIR FOR USE ON AN ELEVATED SUPPORT, SAID CHAIR COMPRISING A BASE ADAPTED TO REST ON SAID SUPPORT HAVING A FORWARD PORTION EXTENDING FORWARD BEYOND THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID SUPPORT, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY THROUGH-OPENING RECEIVERS ON SAID FORWARD BASE PORTION, A PAIR OF STANDARDS EXTENDING SLIDABLY THROUGH SAID RECEIVERS CLEAR OF SAID SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO BIND IN SAID RECEIVERS UNDER APPLIED MOMENT, AND A SEAT EXTENDING REARWARD FROM SAID STANDARDS AND SPACED OVER SAID BASE FOR SUPPORTING A CHILD, WHEREBY SAID SEAT IS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE UPON SLIDING OF SAID STANDARDS IN SAID RECEIVERS AND FIXED AT A SELECTED ELEVATION BY THE WEIGHT OF A CHILD ON SAID SEAT EXERTING A MOMENT ON SAID STANDARDS. 